The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-31

which would be served as soon as the
seats were occupied. At the end Of
each table was placed a larger tin
basin, containing the hOrs d dsuUre OF
the repast 1t consisted OF picked
beets, vulgarly known as soaked
bum" Knife, fork and spoon are
dealt out to the prisoner as he enters,
and deposited by him in basket at
the door after the meal
Standing by the door of the keepers
Office, we watched the gangs from the
different shops march in the lockstep
across the yard to dinner. looking like
gigantic gray centipedes 1t was here
that we caught our first glimpse OF
Ferdinand Ward, the fallen prodigy OF
finance.
By the precautions he takes to avoid
being seen, Ward makes himself the
most conspicuous man in the prison.
His cap is slouched over his eyes, and
the collar of his regulation coat is
turned up around his ears He was care
full to present only the back of his head
to the group of visitors as he marched
along. A little after him came ex-
Police Sergeant Crowly, who about
year and half ago entered upon his
term of seventeen years. Crowley is a
hurley, blaok-haired fellow, who looks
his character of criminal more thor
oughly than any of the other we'll
known New York convicts, with the
possible exception of the mud-builder.
Buddensiek.
After dinner we made a more careful
inspection of the cells. The most
striking thing about them here is their
cleanliness and good ventilation. Six
men are continually employed in
taking care of the cells, every one of
which is newly whitewashed once a
month. Each cell contains a bed,
which is strapped up against the wall
when not in use, a shelf and an oil
lamp suspended in one corner. Some
cells are otherwise completely bare,
though most of them contain book
or two, some photograph or print on
the wall, or perhaps a plain mat on
the floor. Wards cell is quite taste
fully decorated with portraits, stereo-
scopic views, etc. Characteristic of the
occupants tastes is the deliberately
printed menu of some banquet which
he attended in New York before his
wings were clipped. This interesting
souvenir, pinned upon the wall OppO-
site his bed, enables its possessor to
enjoy a perpetual Barmecide feast,
which surely no one can begrudge him.
Ward runs printing-press in one Of
offices, and has a series of in
genious pretexts which enable him
to make frequent trips from one
department of the prison to another.
We encountered him twice during the
day, moving deliberately across the
yard, muff1ed so that little of his face
except the nose was visible He has
something over five years more of this
sort of thing to endure, ere his term,
committed from ten to seven years and
nine months shall be served out
Warden Brush having personally
taken us in hand again, we called at
mo, g." the apothecary's shop, and
visited the hospital. There were six
teen patients here, and none of them
"shamming,' for they would prefer to
be at work. The warden called them
all by name, and had kind word for
each. We had observed in one of the
lower corridors, posted notice in his
handwriting, forbidding any keeper or
other person to call prisoner by an
offensive name, or address him in
insulting language. We found the
well-equipped library in charge OF
no less a parsonage than Ross
Raymond, the brilliant ex-journalist,
novelist, swindler and artist in general
rascality. He is apparently under forty
years of age, and has the face of an
actor, with the corporation of an alder.
man. In little carpenter shop, Bud
densiek. the builder. was discovered,
at work upon a wooden table to be used
in the tailoring department. His is q
queer, hypocritical-looking face, indi.
eating a british intellect, though the
eyes are small and shrewd. Even now
he is trying to build tumble-down tene.
ments by proxy; and probably no term
of Imprisonment would effect the least
change in his character or purpose.
Afterward we went to the large shop
where old clothes and shoes are patched
up and new uniforms cut and made.
Here, too, provision is made for fur
nishing each prisoner set free in win
ter time with good, warm overcoat,
to which he may add a velvet collar
at his own expense if he likes.
A curious rule also prevails BY
which an outgoer may select articles OF
clothing from the stock coniscated
from newly arrived prisoners; SO that
one need not be startled to see a man
walking Broadway, perchance, in
Ferdinand Wards unmentionables and
the spring overcoat of a Doodle alder
man.
When, finally, we brought up where
we had started, in the cheerful apart
ments of the warden and his family, the
canary-birds were singing in their
cages by the windows, where the af-
ternoon sunshine sifted in Through the
leafess vines. These little llfe-prison-
ers were contented and cheerful
enough, for they were FUSED to it." and
thought of no other fate. And so 1t
seemed to be with many of the human